May 27, 2012

We are off to Finland today, but I have prepared a few special treats for you while I'm away. I'm going to introduce you
to some of my friends; the people I truly admire for what they represent, what they are doing and how they are
inspiring others.

First off is Amanda Rootsey, an eco model and co-founder of Vegan Era, an online portal with information on vegan lifestyle. Please continue to read Amanda's incredible story and make sure to check out Amanda's personal website as well as Vegan Era!

What inspired you to become a vegan?

A few years ago
I was vegetarian but I hadn’t quite made the switch to vegan. Then I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
and started researching. It was very
easy to cut out dairy and any other animal products after reading all of the
alarming evidence that links animal protein with all sorts of diseases,
including cancer.

What do you love about being a vegan?

It feels
right. I love knowing that I’m doing
what I can to ensure that I do not harm another being.

Tell us about the concept behind Vegan Era?

Actually my
partner and I have been running Vegan Era for about 5 years and it is
constantly evolving. Initially we just
wanted to share everything that we have learnt along the way and have created
lots of free e-books and recipes. While
it has always been primarily an information portal, we have also held seminars
around Australia, put up “Save the Planet, Be Vegan” billboards around
Queensland, hosted a regular 21 Day Live Vegan online program to help people
transition, assisted other vegan businesses to develop their online presence
and our latest project is the Vegan Card.

Vegan Card is being launched on June 1st!

As part of Vegan Era, you are launching the Vegan
Card on June 1st. What is the Vegan Card and how can it be used?

The Vegan Card
is an Australia-wide loyalty card, which gives the card holder discounts at over
60 vegan and vegan-friendly businesses online and around Australia. We have had such an incredible response, both
from businesses and from people purchasing the card, and it hasn’t even
launched yet! It’s already proven to be
a great way to bring the vegan community together and introduce vegans to more
businesses that they may not have heard about otherwise.

You are also an eco model. Tell us why it is
important to spread the message about sustainable and cruelty-free fashion?

I think it’s
important because it’s so easy and affordable to buy fashion these days that we
often don’t stop to think about where it actually came from and the effect that
supporting cheap and fast fashion has on other people, the planet and
animals. Each time we make a purchase we
can make a choice to support businesses that are creating their products
without using child slave labour, without killing animals, without polluting
waterways… as consumers, we have the power to create a better world and demand
higher standards. I think the more
educated we become and the more we talk about it, the more positive change that
we will see in the world. After going
through cancer I realized how fragile life is and it made me stop and consider
the type of world that we are leaving for future generations. At the rate we are going, there won’t be
much left for the kiddies!

Besides following a vegan diet, what are some
simple things one can do to promote a compassionate and cruelty-free lifestyle?

There are lots
of little things that we can do to tread a little lighter on the planet and be
kind to other beings. From choosing
beauty and cosmetic labels that do not test on animals and do not use animal
products, such as one of my favourites, Adorn Mineral Cosmetics, to buying
fair-trade chocolate or shopping at your local organic farmers markets. Not only will you be living a more
compassionate and eco-friendly life, but you will also be doing wonders for
your health.

What tips do you have for people wanting to make
the switch to a vegan diet?

Be gentle with
yourself and find some support. At first
we can come up with all sorts of obstacles and our family and friends can instil fear and worry about whether it’s the right thing to do. But you will know in your heart that it’s
right and once you begin on this journey you feel incredible, physically,
mentally and emotionally. If you would like
any help at all, please do not hesitate to get in touch via email or sign up
for our next 21 Day Live Vegan online program which starts on July 1st. We provide 24/7 personalised support and try
to make it as easy as possible to transition, with weekly meal planners,
shopping lists, recipe books, nutritional information, tips on socializing and
eating out, vegan beauty and cosmetic information, videos, personal stories,
inspirational quotes and LOTS more!

Who is your vegan inspiration?

Oh wow I have a
few…I think celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres and Alicia Silverstone are
incredible and are showing millions of people that it’s a healthy, positive way
to live. Supreme Master Ching Hai is a
beautiful spiritual Master who is guiding hundreds of thousands of people to
live a compassionate existence in every possible sense and helping people to
get in touch with their own inner Master, Buddha Nature or whatever you would
like to call it. She is a true
inspiration and her teachings make so much sense to me.

What is your favourite vegan meal to prepare?

My favourite,
simple meal that I seem to make quite a few times a week is Miso Soup. Sometimes with noodles, sometimes with brown
rice, sometimes with tofu sometimes just with loads of veggies – I am totally
addicted!

What are your future plans? Any upcoming projects
you’d like to share with us?

I’m really
looking forward to the launch of the Vegan Card on June 1st and we
are busily working away on the next 21 Day Live Vegan online program which will
start on July 1st. Apart from
that, I’ve got a few photoshoots coming up for some gorgeous eco-friendly
labels and I am also putting together an Eco-Fashion show for the Sunshine
Coast Fashion Festival later in the year.

Thanks for the lovely interview... Was so nice chatting with you :). You can buy the Vegan Card now though - just go to veganera.com/VeganCard.htm to purchase one today and we'll get it out to you ASAP so you can start getting discounts from June 1st!

My nephew has jast been diagnosis with a lymphoma a week ago, the whole family are still under the shock, still, waiting for the results of the biopsy which will come up on Tuesday, just to put a name to the lymphoma. He´s got it in the mediastine, but I´m very happy to see you´re so well and glad that this can be just another of his stories to tell.Love from the north of SpainMarialuisa